Laurie Daley extends Blues coaching role

By
IAN McCULLOUGH

Laurie Daley says the bond formed between the NSW players and staff that ended Queensland's State of Origin dominance will never be broken.

RUGBY LEAGUE

Laurie Daley

Laurie Daley says the bond formed between the NSW players and staff that ended Queensland's State of Origin dominance will never be broken.

Last month Daley became the first Blues coach since Ricky Stuart in 2005 to win an Origin series and on Monday was rewarded with a new two-year contract extension that will keep him in the role until 2017.

The 44-year-old said he still hadn't fully appreciated the enormity of what his side achieved by beating a mighty Maroons side 2-1 despite two matches being played in Brisbane, but is already planning ahead for 2015.

"I haven't had a chance to sit down with all the boys as such and really celebrate and enjoy the moment," Daley said.

"Blokes had to get back to their clubs and back to work so to speak straight after Origin. But when the season's over we will all get together as a group and it will be very special.

"We haven't had time to reflect on it but when people stop and talk to you in the street you start to realise the effect it had and what a wonderful achievement it was.

"Some of the best wins I ever had ... you have a bond with those guys and reminisce about the time it happened. It will [be] the same for these blokes.

"I am delighted and honoured to be given the chance to lead this team for another two years."

The Blues plotted their Origin victory from their base in Coffs Harbour last year but as of yet a decision hasn't been taken about whether they will return, with a number of other regions expressing interest in housing the Blues.

But Daley said he and his backroom team are already identifying future Blues players to ensure Queensland never exert such a long dominance ever again.

"We've already started work on some camps in December and January and that's the focus at the moment," Daley said.

"We will have the next couple of months we'll identify players to be part of our emerging Blues camps, it's exciting times."

NSWRL chief Dave Trodden said the decision to stick with Daley was an easy one and he was delighted to tie him down to a long-term deal.

"It's wonderful news and we have just started on something that will be a fantastic journey for us," Trodden said.

"To secure Laurie for a couple of years was the key point to keeping up that journey.

"He is emotionally invested in this team and he wanted to stay as much as we wanted him to stay.

"We don't want to start getting ahead of ourselves and start predicting what's going to happen in the future, but we feel we are on the right path to more success." AAP